Understanding Biochemical and Molecular Mechanism of Complications of Glycation and Its Management by Herbal Medicine

Abstract Diabetes mellitus is an expeditiously growing health problem in developed as well as developing countries that either arises from insulin deficiency or resistance to insulin. The disease is marked by hyperglycemia which leads to glycation of many proteins including human serum albumin. Glycation is a nonenzymatic reaction between free amino groups and sugars (mainly glucose) resulting in formation of a diverse class of irreversible heterogenous compounds, collectively termed advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These AGEs are known to contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetes and its associated complications that include atherosclerosis, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, wound healing, etc. Various plant extract and phytocompounds are known to exhibit antidiabetic properties and are used traditionally as well. In this chapter, we have presented an overview of the complications associated with diabetes due to AGEs along with the biochemical mechanism involved in glycation, highlighting the therapeutic potential of common herbal medicine/plant products in the management of diabetes.